Divorces are undoubtedly emotional times. While many feel grief, confusion, and betrayal, others experience overwhelming anger at their spouse’s decision to end the marriage. Unfortunately, this anger can manifest as revenge, with many spreading damaging information and lies about their spouse to get back at or punish them. These false allegations can severely impact the outcome of a divorce, leaving you with unfavorable outcomes. If this reflects your circumstances, it’s in your best interest to connect with a Monroe, Louisiana divorce lawyer and to keep reading to learn how to proceed.
Why Might a Spouse Make False Allegations?
When one spouse wants a divorce, and the other doesn’t, or one spouse refuses to cave to unreasonable requests during the negotiations, this can cause the other to become angry. Unfortunately, as tensions run high during this time, you’ll find that your spouse may spread lies about you to try to receive a more favorable outcome.
For example, your spouse may accuse you of domestic violence or child abuse to prevent you from receiving custody of your children. Unfortunately, this could trigger a police investigation, as these are serious allegations.
Similarly, your spouse could accuse you of hiding assets, which could damage your credibility in the eyes of the court. Louisiana is a community property state, meaning all marital assets are divided evenly between spouses. If accused of concealing property to prevent your spouse from getting a fair share, the courts could impose fines and additional punishments.
What Do I Do if I’m the Victim of Lies During a Louisiana Divorce?
When your spouse spreads egregious lies about you to impact the outcome of your divorce, you may have one of two reactions. The first may be to retaliate against your spouse. The second may be to take the high road and pay no mind to the lies. However, both of these can make the situation worse. By retaliating, you’re adding validity to the statements that you are vindictive while ignoring the lies allows them to grow out of control, becoming the primary narrative.
Instead, you must respond appropriately to these accusations. The most important thing to do in these situations is to connect with an experienced attorney who can help you take the necessary steps to show these allegations are untrue. They can collect evidence on your behalf to illustrate that these are false statements and that your spouse is no longer credible. You should avoid talking directly to your spouse about these accusations, as they can use anything you say against you as proof.
Finding out there are egregious lies about you that could impact the outcome of your divorce can be devastating. That’s why it’s in your best interest to contact an experienced lawyer from Breithaupt, DuBos, & Wolleson, LLC as soon as possible to discuss these challenges. We will do everything possible to help prove these statements are false so you can receive the fairest outcome for your divorce. Contact our team today to discuss your situation.